Shopping is a way of life for many of us, especially during the holiday seasons. But with an increase of people in the stores, slip and fall accidents can occur more regularly, especially with the wintery weather outside. If you slip in a store such as Walmart, Shop Rite, Costco, Whole Foods, or any other big box store in New Jersey, you should contact slip and fall accident law firm Law Offices of Anthony Carbone immediately. With a track record of fighting for slip and fall victims, we will make sure you get the compensation you deserve for your accident.
Causes of a Slip and Fall Accident in a Store
Some of the common causes of a slip and fall accident in a store can be:
- Puddles caused by leaky refrigeration units
- Slippery mats or floors caused by tracked-in ice or snow
- Items that fell to the floor
- Garbage or debris
Who is Responsible for Your Slip and Fall Accident?
Let’s say you are shopping at Target for the holidays. While entering the store, there’s a large puddle of water caused by incoming traffic from the outside. No one has yet to clean up the puddle nor are there any signs of the danger. You slip on the puddle and fall, injuring yourself. Who is responsible for this accident?
In a scenario like the one above, the fault lies with the business. According to premises liability, it was negligent of the Target to ignore the puddle and that negligence caused your accident. But whenever you have a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property, it is generally the owner of the property’s fault. But what about a store like Shop Rite where the building might be owned by someone else? This can be tricky. In the scenario, the store is at fault since they failed to clean it up. But, if it was a different type of accident, such as a structural issue with the building itself, this would be a claim against the person or entity who actually owns the building, not the store’s owner.
Proving Negligence
Keep in mind that if you plan to pursue a slip and fall case against a store like Walmart or A&P, you need to prove negligence. You may have to answer questions such as:
- Were there warning signs posted about the floor conditions?
- Were you aware of the puddle before you slipped?
- Should the store have known about the puddle?
- How long had the puddle been there?
This may be hard to prove, especially if you don’t have an experienced slip and fall lawyer by your side. If you or a loved one had slipped and fell in a Jersey City big box store, contact slip and fall accident attorney Anthony Carbone as soon as possible. For the past 26 years, we have been handling slip and fall cases throughout New Jersey. Contact us today for a free consultation.
